Technical harmonisation in the EU

Technical harmonisation in the EU

Technical harmonisation in the EU is based on the Whole Vehicle Type-Approval System (WVTA). Under the WVTA, a manufacturer can obtain certification for a vehicle type in one EU country and market it EU-wide without further tests. The certification is issued by a type-approval authority and the tests are carried out by the designated technical services.

The legal basis

Directive 2007/46/EC sets out the safety and environmental requirements that motor vehicles have to comply with before being placed on the EU market. The Directive makes the EU-WVTA system mandatory for all categories of motor vehicles and their trailers. A large number of UNECE regulations are also made mandatory. These replace 38 Directives previously in force.

The new regulation will make vehicle testing more independent and increase surveillance of cars already in circulation. It will:

raise the quality level and independence of vehicle type-approval and testing

increase checks of cars that are already on the EU market

strengthen the overall system with European oversight

It becomes mandatory for all new vehicle models as of 1 September 2020. The new rules go together with Commission initiatives such as the proposal for a new deal for consumers. In a Dieselgate-type scenario, this initiative allows victims of unfair commercial practices to obtain remedies collectively through a representative action.

Approval authorities

Approval authorities are established or appointed by EU countries and notified to the Commission. The approval authorities have competence for:

all aspects of the approval of a type of vehicle, system, component or separate technical unit

Certificate of conformity (CoC)

A certificate of conformity is a statement by the manufacturer that the vehicle conforms to EU type-approval requirements. EU countries cannot refuse to register vehicles if they are accompanied by a valid CoC that proves their compliance with EU law. The Commission has proposed simpler rules for the motor vehicle registration of a car already registered on one EU country to be registered in another.

Technical services

A technical service is an organisation or a body designated by the national approval authority as a:

testing laboratory to carry out tests

or as a conformity assessment body to carry out the initial assessment and other tests or inspections on behalf of the approval authority

EU countries have to notify the Commission of the name and details of designated technical services for: